The 23rd Annual West River History Conference, will be held October 1-3, 2015 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Rapid City. The theme of this year's conference is Let the Games Begin:  Sports in South Dakota. This can include all manner of sports, played by Natives or settlers, biographies of sports promoters or athletes, sports events, venues or bygone leagues, stars and unsung heroes. 

 

Colorful characters, memorable and forgotten events and stories of the everyday people who did extraordinary things in rugged hills and drought-stricken areas are remembered and given a place of recognition at the conference.

 

The West River History Conference is open to all individuals and the public. Paper titles are welcome from amateur and professional historians alike, and especially sought from students from middle school through graduate school.

 

The collected papers of the conference are published annually in a permanent bound volume available for purchase by schools, libraries, museums and other interested parties. Prizes for the best papers in adult and student categories will be awarded. 

Scholarship money is available for conference registration and travel expenses to encourage students and their teachers and/or parents to attend. Our newest board member, former Rapid City Central teacher, Carol Saunders, has been tasked with increasing the participation of young people so they can learn more about their heritage and carry on the work of preserving it. Please contact her.  All applications for this year's conference are welcome!